(The Center Square) – The Arizona House of Representatives failed to expel another member of their ranks on Tuesday.
Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, D-Tucson, maintained her seat after Republicans called for her expulsion but couldn’t muster the required two-thirds majority vote to execute the measure. A following motion to censure succeeded.
The actions in the House stem from Stahl Hamilton being caught on security cameras hiding publicly-owned Bibles in seat cushions and a refrigerator after the Bibles had previously gone missing, according to a legislative report.
An ordained minister, Stahl Hamilton apologized for the prank, which Republicans called inadequate. On June 9, an Ethics Committee found the lawmaker violated House rules of decorum.
Several Republicans voted against the bill, saying the punishment was too severe and that Stahl Hamilton had an otherwise solid reputation.
“Everyone in this room, everyone you know, every family member that I have, has made a poor decision at one time,” said Rep. David Cook, R-Globe. “I think this is overkill for a badly chosen prank.”
Others called on the seriousness of joking with a book of such importance.
“It is one thing to be sorry that you did an action, and it’s something else to be sorry you got caught,” said Majority Whip Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande. “We cannot tolerate when one member of this chamber is so disrespectful to the other members.”
Former Rep. Liz Harris also violated “Rule 1” and was expelled for facilitating an inflammatory presentation implicating state officials and others in a money laundering scheme with the Sinaloa Cartel.
